Chapter Fifteen

Kalen was out of the bed and dressed in a matter of seconds. "I'm going to take you to Raidh's bedroom, muffin. I'm not leaving you alone while there's a threat outside."

He could hear the sound of doors opening and needed to join his sons, but until his mate was dressed, Kalen wasn't leaving his side. He ended up having to help when Delta's hands trembled too badly to put his clothes on.

"We're aware of the threat this time, sweetheart."

He cupped Delta's face. "I promise no one is getting anywhere near you."

His mate quickly nodded, but the stark fear in his beautiful eyes remained. It gutted Kalen to see Delta so terrified. Whoever was out there, Kalen was going to rip out their heart for putting his mate through this and for interrupting their after-sex cuddling, which was his second favorite thing to share with his mate.

Although Kalen needed to get his ass moving, he wanted to try and soothe his mate's trembling, though he knew that was impossible. The last intrusion had resulted in Delta being shot. There was no doubt in Kalen's mind that was all his mate was thinking about right now.

He captured Delta's lips, kissing him deeply and trying to convey both how much he loved the guy and that he would be safe. When Kalen eased away from him, Delta looked as if he'd calmed down slightly. He was no longer trembling, but his eyes still held a ton of fear.

"Come on, muffin."

Kalen grabbed Delta's hand and took him to Raidh's room, where the rest of the mates were already gathered. Even Zyra was there, tucked in Damon's arms.

"Sucks I can't go out there and help you kick ass," he said.

"You have the most important task, son. Keep my granddaughter and the mates safe."

Damon gave a firm nod, a promise in his eyes that he would kill anyone who entered the room that didn't belong there.

Kalen glanced at the bed and saw Elvine lying on her side with a grimace on her face. "You okay, hon?"

She nodded as she opened her eyes. "Just backaches, Papa Frost. As you can see, my baby hump is almost bigger than I am."

Kalen hated to see her so uncomfortable. Even though it was so long ago, he could still recall how miserable Chelsea had been toward the end of her pregnancies.

He had nothing but the utmost respect for any woman—or man, since that was a possibility in his world—who willing endured that kind of pain to give birth to a child.

"I got her,"

Arion said. "Go help the others."

Looking around the room, Kalen couldn't have been prouder of the mates who'd come into their lives. He cared deeply for all of them and would protect them with his life. He gazed briefly at Zyra, and his wolf snarled viciously at the thought of any harm coming to her.

"I love you,"

he said to Delta, who had sat in one of the chairs across from the bed.

His mate's skin blossomed with a deep blush. "Love you, too. Be careful, please."

"Aww,"

Elvine said then grunted. "That's…that's so sweet."

With a determination to protect them, Kalen walked out of the bedroom and closed the door then waited until he heard the lock engage.

Once he heard the click, he took off to help Jax, Jaytee, and Casimir, flying down the stairs and heading out of the back door. In the yard were five men, vampires by the smell of them, battling it out with Kalen's family.

Why did it always have to be vampires? It wouldn't hurt to mix things up with a demon or rogue shifter every now and then. Kalen caught the blur seconds before one of the vampires attacked, slamming him into the wall next to the back door.

When the bastard reached for the handle, Kalen wrapped his hand around the man's throat with a deep, deadly snarl and lifted him off his feet. "Son, you are about to become Satan's bitch."

With a quick jab of his clawed hand, Kalen yanked the vampire's heart from his chest. Then he dragged the guy, his heart still gripped in his hand, to the center of the yard and dropped both.

"Enough!"

His strong, authoritative command caused everyone to pause. "I will give the four of you five seconds to get off my property before I line you up, one by one, next to your friend,"

he ground out. "Five."

The biggest of the vampires, who'd been fighting Casimir, turned toward Kalen and sneered at him. "We'll leave, right after you hand over Delta."

"The only thing I'm going to hand you is your own heart to cradle in your hands."

Kalen stormed toward the guy as the fighting resumed, but the largest vampire simply stared him down. The dumbass son of a bitch had let Kalen walk right up to him, as if he was too dimwitted to realize that death was bearing down on him.

But Kalen didn't yank out his heart. His rage demanded a cathartic release. He slugged the guy right in his face, causing the vampire's head to snap back.

Then Kalen unleashed on him, going for blows just as Jax had when he'd beaten the living hell out of Akai before killing the man who'd tortured Arion for a decade.

Kalen's father and uncles had taught him how to fight, how to look for weaknesses and exploit them. For decades he'd gotten his ass handed to him before he'd finally learned how to fight back.

Some might view those lessons as abhorrent, but at the end of the day, they were animals first, humans second. Not once had Kalen felt abused by his family. He'd been honored they'd loved him enough to turn him into the man he was today.

A force to be reckoned with.

And Kalen had loved his sons enough to do the same for them.

He lifted the big bastard up then drove his head into the ground, refusing to show even an ounce of mercy. Kalen's honed muscles were fueled with aggression, with raw determination to keep his loved ones safe.

"Who sent you?"

Kalen slammed his fists into the vampire repeatedly as the guy dropped to his knees. "Answer me!"

"L-Leo."

Blood poured from the man's nose and mouth, and one of his eyes had swollen to the point it would no longer open. Kalen had also knocked out numerous teeth and broken several bones. "He needs Delta so he can barter with Whichello."

That made no sense if the demon wanted both Delta and Leo dead. "What kind of barter?"

Kalen demanded.

"Call off your people and I'll tell you. I've already lost two family members."

He looked at the ground where the dead vampire lay. "Three. I don't want to lose any more."

Kalen wasn't going to feel remorse for killing the guy. Not when the vampire had tried to get inside the house. He'd paid with his life for his stupidity. "If this is some kind of trick, I will make your death as painful as possible."

The guy shook his head. "No trick."

Kalen let out an ear-piercing whistle. His sons and Casimir immediately backed down but kept their eyes on their enemies.

"What barter?"

Kalen repeated his demand.

"Leo wanted us to snatch his nephew so he could hand Delta over to Whichello as some kind of… I don't know. Spy?"

he said, but his words were spoken with a heavy lisp because of his missing teeth. "His nephew was supposed to gain Whichello's trust then lower the demon's guard with sex. That was when Leo was supposed to strike and kill the guy."

"You really thought a human could sneak up on a vampire and kill him?"

he asked dumbfoundedly.

The man glanced away as he shrugged.

Kalen had released a lot of his rage during the fight, but it returned tenfold. He would never understand how family members could betray one another. How Leo could willingly sacrifice his nephew, who had never done anything to deserve that kind of treachery.

"Look,"

the vampire said, a light amount of blood spritzing from his mouth as he spoke. "Like I said, I don't want to lose any more family. Can we call David's death compensation for our foolish decision to attack your family and you let the rest of us go?"

Not only had Kalen's family taught him how to fight but they'd also taught him how to employ strategy.

"On one condition."

Kalen's head snapped around when Damon stormed out of the house, pure panic in his eyes.

"Elvine's in labor! I don't know what to do with lady parts!"

Jax shot toward the house and raced inside. Damon glared at the vampires as his five-foot wings shot out from behind him and his fangs elongated. "Need some help?"

"What in the hell is he?"

the vampire in Kalen's grip asked in awe and fear.

"Come on, Dad,"

Damon whined. "I need the exercise. This leftover baby fat is making me self-conscious. It was worth it to bring my daughter into the world, but Casimir doesn't find me sexy anymore."

His son was full of shit if he thought his mate no longer desired him. Every time the warrior looked Damon's way, there was nothing short of enchantment in the man's eyes. The fae was a love-struck fool, and Damon knew it.

"What is he?"

the vampire repeated with genuine confusion.

"When have I ever said you weren't sexy, nékah ?"

Casimir looked distraught. "You are the most ceutya nétya I know."

Kalen had heard the phrase often enough to know it meant beautiful wolf. "Stop using your mate as an excuse so I'll let you fight. You're going to make him pass out again."

The warrior huffed.

"Maybe he shouldn't attend the birth of Elvine's baby,"

Jaytee added with a shit-eating grin. "I think he cracked the foundation of the house the last time. It might collapse this go-round if he hits the floor again."

With a growl, Casimir stormed over to his mate and pulled Damon into his arms, kissing him thoroughly as Damon threw back a leg. Kalen was happy and relieved his son had overcome what he'd gone through, returning to his normal, goofball self.

"Leo is a piece of garbage,"

the vampire muttered.

"How do I know you won't return?"

Kalen asked him.

"Because I hold family just as sacred as you do, and you seem to have a beautiful one,"

he replied. "I only wanted revenge against Whichello for killing my father and brother, but now I see Leo used me just like he was trying to use his nephew."

"Since I have a birthing to attend, I'll make my offer quick,"

Kalen replied before he explained his condition for their release.

"I would enjoy nothing more,"

the vampire replied with a bloody grin.

* * * *

Leo jumped at every noise as he paced manically behind Deep Dish Diner at three in the morning. Where in the hell was that dimwitted vampire?

Since Paul had called over an hour ago with the location of where he'd wanted to meet, Leo assumed the guy had been successful in snatching Delta. He'd tried to ask, but Paul hadn't stayed on the phone long enough for Leo to get anything other than the whereabouts of this creepy-ass alley.

And he was still pissed off it had taken the vampire a week to get the job done.

This was what happened when you let a guy give you head—the best head Leo had ever received. They started acting indifferent. All Leo needed was for the vampire to hand over Delta. Jesus. How hard could that be? Even someone as moronic as Paul should be able to handle the simple task.

Now all Leo had to do was find a way into the demon realm then use his gift of manipulation to convince Whichello what an amazing deal he was getting. Then Leo could breathe easier again. The demon wouldn't kill him if he presented the guy with the man he had mooned over, right?

"Sorry we've kept you waiting,"

a deep voice said from behind Leo.

Over the past week Leo had had to run from Whichello's human servant who had nearly caught him twice. Had the demon sent another one after him?

Leo slowly turned, ready to convince the guy that he had an incredible gift to offer Whichello, but his words died in his throat when he saw the man from the ice cream parlor striding toward him with two muscled men flanking him.

The guy was even bigger in person. He would put the biker at around six-six, but he couldn't even begin to guess the man's weight. He was just massive and muscled and tattooed.

And intimidating as hell.

"The doctor was late,"

the biker went on, "and my daughter-in-law just had to shock us with two babies instead of one. The doc said one must've been hiding behind the other. But you would think he still should've heard two heartbeats. Well, the good news is, I have two healthy grandsons and mom is doing fine. That's all the matters, am I right?"

Leo was barely listening. He wished he could grow a beard that full and beautiful. He'd tried numerous times, but once it passed the stage of low-trimmed, his face broke out and itched like crazy.

Even the stranger's companions were muscled with incredible beards.

"Do I know you?"

Leo asked with a slightly curled lip. "You must have me mistaken for someone else."

"No, but we know you ."

The man stopped a foot away, towering over Leo.

"I hardly think so."

"Leo Rodregez, uncle to Delta Riveria."

A slow smirk formed. "Piece-of-shit human who just can't stop being a scumbag, not even for family."

He drew closer, his expression turning into a mask of rage. "Your first guy shot my fucking mate."

Then Mr. Fox deserved his death for failing to follow one simple instruction.

"And the vampires…"

His smile widened into one hell of an evil grin. "You just keep racking up enemies left and right, Leo."

He chucked a thumb over his shoulder. "Because you sent the vampires after Delta, I had to listen to my son whine. Do you know how annoying it is to hear a grown man whine? Very. In order to make him shut up, I had to let him come with me tonight. Thanks a lot for the fucking headache."

The man the stranger had indicated gave Leo a toothy smile as huge white wings shot out from his back. "You're gonna help me get rid of this baby fat."

"By the way,"

the third man added, "Whichello was kind enough to give us this kill, courtesy of the demon warrior leader who is sick and tired of our family being in danger."

He waved his hand. "Befitting you die where my father met Delta."

Leo let out a blood-curdling scream as they exacted their revenge.

* * * *

"If you keep making me eat your amazing food, I'm the one who is going to be waddling around here,"

Delta said right before he took a bite of the small piece of rib meat his mate held out for him. "Oh my god,"

he moaned as he chewed.

"You like it?"

Kalen smiled proudly.

The man knew Delta was addicted to his cooking. So far, Delta hadn't tasted one bad thing his mate had given him to eat.

"No, it's horrible."

Delta licked his lips, chasing after the lingering juices. "Now give me a bigger piece since you're such a tease with tiny samples."

Kalen leaned in, his soft beard scraping across Delta's cheek and whispered, "I've got the biggest sample for you, muffin. Do you want to go inside for a taste test?"

Delta shivered but suppressed a moan since they were in the backyard with company. "Stop using your deep voice as a weapon. You know I become horny as hell when you do that."

His mate softly chuckled before he pulled away and flipped the various meats sizzling on the grill. "As soon as I'm done cooking for an army, I'll feed you my ‘bigger' sample."

And Delta would gladly gobble it up.

"Daddy Frost!"

Elvine flew toward him from across the expansive yard before landing on her feet. "Since my mates are taking forever to get out here, I need you to help me set up the new thingies Papa Frost bought for Ciaran and Phenex."

She gave Kalen the stink-eye. "I swear, if he buys the twins one more thing, I'm going to blow my cork."

"You are not going to stop me from spoiling my grandkids, young lady,"

Kalen said as if it was a closed matter.

Did she mean lid? Delta knew better than to say anything. He'd been pulled aside the first time he'd corrected her and was given the reason why she screwed up idioms. He hadn't corrected her since, though it was always tempting as hell.

"Lid!"

Damon smacked his hands from behind them. "I'm going to blow my lid or top but not cork, brat."

When Delta turned, his brows furrowed. Damon, Jax, and Arion had come out of the house and now stood by the porch, each wearing one of those things you twisted around your body to keep the baby close to your chest.

He could never remember what they were called. But that wasn't what puzzled him. They were having a simple nighttime backyard barbeque to celebrate the babies two-month milestones, which the Everharts had been invited to, along with other friends. So why did Arion have a case of wipes and a diaper bag big enough to hold a warehouse's worth of diapers? Jax had a tote bag that looked as if it was filled to the brim with toys, if the stuffed animals spilling from the top was anything to go by.

And Damon had a car seat in each hand, as well as two large bags over each shoulder with bottles poking out of one and canisters of dry baby formula in the other. And there were two freaking strollers off to their right.

"Are they going on a trip?"

he asked Kalen.

"To an OPPA meeting."

His mate shook his head with an amused smile as the smoke from the grill billowed upward before a slight breeze caused it to scatter around.

"What's that?"

Delta wasn't familiar with those acronyms.

Kalen pointed his steel spatula toward the men. "Overprepared Parents Anonymous. And, yes, the P in prepared counts."

He bent and rested his chin on Delta's shoulder. "Have you noticed, at first, they only brought a diaper bag and toys outside?"

When Delta nodded, Kalen went on. "Now they bring out anything and everything so they don't have to run back inside."

"And we've ended up with this."

Delta gestured toward them with a huge grin. He thought it was adorable the daddies were overprepared. It only showed how much they loved their pups.

After living with the Frosts for eight weeks, Delta had started to talk like them. He'd even given a few tiny growls that had sounded pathetic as hell.

"Yep."

Kalen kissed the skin under Delta's ear. "I'm waiting for the day they bring the contents of both nurseries down with them."

"Never mind, Daddy Frost,"

Elvine huffed. "Every time you get around Kalen, your brain goes on the fritzy."

She leaned in close. "Just be thankful he's never thrown a frying pan at you." Elvine pulled back and flew toward her mates, kissing each one while hovering.

Delta wasn't the only one with a "fritzy"

brain. She acted the same dang way with her mates.

"I'm done cooking,"

Kalen murmured in Delta's ear. "Let's go inside so I can watch your brain fritz out."

Delta glanced toward the grill. "But there's still a ton of food on it."

"I said I was done cooking, not that the food was ready."

Kalen straightened. "Quinton, get over here and man the grill."

As soon as the bear shifter headed their way, Kalen grabbed Delta's hand and started pulling him toward the back porch. "A little excited?"

He laughed.

"A lot excited, muffin."

He scooped Delta up in his big, strong arms, making him feel safe and cherished as always. He'd never asked his mate what had happened to his uncle or the threat from Whichello. Kalen had just told him that Leo and the demon would no longer be an issue. Delta believed him.

"Go make us a sibling,"

Jax teased with a wink.

Damon gave a catcall before he shouted, "Go, Daddy Frost!"

Oh god. Well, at least he hadn't called Delta mommy or da— never mind.

"You two are idiots."

Jaytee scowled. "Stop making me think of our parents—"

He stuck his tongue out.

Admittedly, Delta liked that the men lumped him in with Kalen as one of their parents. He thought he wouldn't, but it was growing on him. Plus, it made him feel as if he and his mate were a team. And they were.

Kalen ignored his sons as he carried Delta inside and straight to the downstairs bathroom.

"Can't wait long enough to go upstairs?"

Delta arched a brow. "You seem to have a thing for bathroom sex, Kalen Frost. Is it a kink of yours?"

They'd already had sex in their own bathroom, the one in the home office, the one they were heading to, and even the one at the diner. More than once Kalen had shown up for Delta's breaks and yanked him in there. Thankfully the door had a lock on it. He suspected Roman Emperor had installed it after the third time Kalen had dragged Delta in there.

"Baby, you're my kink."

Kalen kissed his temple right before he opened the door. When they stepped inside and shut the door, his mate grabbed a small bottle of lube from one of the cabinet drawers.

"Oh my god. Are you stashing lube around the house now?"

Delta grinned. "I think you need to attend an OPMA meeting."

"A mate can never be overprepared. Now bend over the sink and spread your legs for me, gorgeous."

"Yes, sir,"

Delta purred naughtily. He'd discovered another one of his mate's kinks around six weeks ago. Kalen loved when he called the man sir during sex. The lowercase sir, not the uppercase, though Delta would call him that, too, if their relationship went in that direction.

Kalen gave a throaty growl. "Pants, muffin."

With a sassy grin, Delta shoved his pants and boxers down his legs. He leaned over the counter and stuck his ass out, waiting for the amazing pounding he knew Kalen would give him.

"So goddamn beautiful,"

his mate murmured. Wet fingers skimmed over Delta's ring of muscle then pushed inside, causing his cock to grow even harder.

"Oh god,"

Delta whimpered softly, his eyelids fluttering closed.

"You know what I like, hon,"

Kalen gently reminded him, his fingers thrusting in and out of Delta's ass, stretching him wide.

Forcing his eyes back open, Delta lifted his head and gazed at his mate in the large bathroom mirror. Kink number three he'd discovered. Kalen loved having sex in front of mirrors, but so did Delta.

He loved watching his mate behind him, loved to see what he could only feel without a mirror. It always heightened the sensations and Delta's arousal.

"See where my hand is?"

Kalen's eyes were heavy-lidded, watching Delta watch him. "Feel how my fingers are buried in your ass?"

That would be the fourth kink. Talking dirty during sex.

"Yes,"

Delta hissed.

"Keep your eyes open."

Kalen lowered to his knees. Delta's head fell back when his mate's tongue lapped hungrily at his hole.

Then he pulled away, taking that divine tongue with him. "You're not watching, sweetheart."

How in the hell had his mate known? Since he wanted that tongue back on him, Delta lowered his head and locked eyes with him. "Sorry… sir ."

He smirked.

Kalen growled and nipped one of Delta's cheeks. "Brat."

A brat who was going to ride his mate's soft beard. One of Delta's new favorite kinks.

He watched in the mirror, his breath hitching when Kalen began to lick at his hole again, his tongue grazing over nerve endings that made Delta shiver. He gently pushed back, letting out a soft groan and hiss when Kalen's facial hair abraded his skin.

Kalen ground his beard and mustache against Delta's hole while his fingers were still stretching him. Delta was going to lose his freaking mind any second. His mate knew how much he loved that.

After a few more minutes of teasing the hell out of him, Kalen rose up to his feet, towering over him. The size difference always amazed Delta.

It was like looking into a mirror and seeing a warrior standing there, someone who would always keep him safe.

His chest hitched at the depth to which he loved his mate. He would do whatever Kalen asked of him because he owned Delta so completely.

As they stared at one another, Kalen's fingers slipped free. The head of his mate's cock touched his slick, stretched hole. Kalen winked right before he drove inside Delta's ass.

"Kalen!"

"Right behind you, baby."

Kalen growled softly and then grabbed Delta's hips and pounded into him, his gaze focused on where they were joined. Delta was just lost in the feeling of Kalen riding his ass, his cock filling him completely.

The faster his mate pistoned into him, the closer Delta shot toward the edge. "Kalen,"

he whimpered.

Kalen gripped Delta's cock, stroking the hard flesh to the rhythm of his thrusts. "Come for me, beautiful,"

his mate murmured before he sank his canines in.

Delta exploded at the same time he felt Kalen pulsing inside of his ass. He threw his head back and shouted his mate's name once more. The sight of Kalen's canines embedded in his shoulder, the savage expression on his face, only drove Delta's orgasm higher.

Pulling his canines free, Kalen licked the wound and nuzzled his neck with a hard exhale. This was the man he loved, the man who had saved Delta from not only his uncle but himself. Kalen was his Sexy Man, and Delta was his muffin.

Delta had integrated into the Frost home, had grown to care about the people who lived there, and was so happy he didn't give a crap when his stepsons teased him and called him Daddy Frost.

Delta would wear that name like a badge of honor. He even loved the adorable pups.

"You shouldn't hog the downstairs bathroom,"

Damon said loudly from the other side of the door. "Some people would like to use it for its intended purpose."

"I'll get the frying pan,"

Kalen whispered with a smile.

Delta snickered. "And I'll go grab the shovel."

* * * *

Panahasi stood inside the woods, watching the backyard barbeque in full swing. The smell was killing him. If there was one thing he could attest to, Kalen Frost knew how to cook. Now Panahasi's stomach was rumbling.

"Did I miss much?"

Aldrin asked when he appeared at Panahasi's side.

"Food, fun, and cute little babies with chubby cheeks."

He would have simply walked into the gathering and helped himself to some food, but ever since his major fuckup with Damon and Casimir…

"They don't hold a grudge against you."

Aldrich slipped his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. "They're actually grateful since what happened allowed them to have a family."

"Stay out of my head,"

Panahasi snarled. "Did you figure out why the protection spells you placed over their home failed?"

He watched as Damon and Casimir fawned over their daughter. The mated couple appeared even happier now that their pup had been born.

But she was more than just a pup.

"You're looking at the reason,"

Aldrin stated.

Frowning, he turned to look at the keeper. "But she would have still been in the womb."

"I told you she would be the most powerful being known to mankind,"

Aldrin replied. "She felt the protection spells like waves tickling her, so she wanted to play with them."

Panahasi turned his head back around to watch her. Zyra lay in Damon's arms, sound asleep. But when Panahasi focused on her, the baby's eyes opened as if she felt him. Felt Life staring right at her.

They were connected through a deep bond. It had been his blood that had helped to save her father and had also screwed things up, but still…

"The entire Ultionem has a bond with her,"

Aldrin said. "Yours and their blood flows through her veins and is embedded in her very DNA."

The keeper scowled at Panahasi. "No, that does not make you one of her daddies."

"Thank fuck."

Panahasi breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't need her fathers to have another reason to hate me."

The keeper chuckled. "You're relieved because you don't have to pay child support."

"You're an ass."

Panahasi grinned. That was not what he'd been thinking. "So, she disrupted your spells because she wanted to play with them?"

That was some feat considering Aldrin was the primal source, the creator of their universe. No one trumped his abilities.

Turning to fully face him, Aldrin slowly shook his head, his eyes troubled. "No, Panahasi. She destroyed them."

THE END